Legislation & Regulation
Legislative and Regulatory Update
April 2019 by Scott Harn
• Bishop and Curtis seek to rein in Antiquities Act abuses
Congressmen Rob Bishop (R-UT) and John Curtis (R-UT) introduced HR 1664, a bill that would set limits on the use of the Antiquities Act to create national monuments.
The bill would require review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for a proposed monument between 640 acres and 10,000 acres. An environmental assessment would also be required for proposed monuments between 5,000 and 10,000 acres. Congressional approval would be required for larger proposed monuments.
It’s unclear whether this bill has the necessary support to pass in the House.
• Lands bill signed by President Trump
Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) made a valiant attempt to stop S 47, a huge public lands bill that included permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), but his effort ultimately failed and the bill passed.
Senator Lee had introduced an amendment to remove the permanent funding, but both Democrats and Republicans joined forces to shoot down his amendment. The reason we—and miners in general—were against the bill is because LWCF funds are used to place additional public lands off-limits regardless of whether or not a mineral survey has been completed.
Senator Lee is all too familar with federal land grabs in Utah; he fought to have the size of national monuments reduced in his state when former President Obama used the Antiquities Act to expand them against the wishes of local legislators.
President Trump really did not have a choice but to sign it after it passed with a veto-proof majority. The bill passed the Senate 92-8, with the following Senators voting against it: Cruz (R-TX), Inhofe (R-OK), Johnson (R-WI), Landford (R-OK), Lee (R-UT), Paul (R-KY), Sasse (R-NE), Toomey (R-PA). A House version passed 363-62.
Legislative and Regulatory Update
- Reminder: Annual claim fees due September 1, 2017
- Update on California suction gold dredging
Legislative and Regulatory Update
• Big win by a California suction gold dredger
• Administration locks up another popular gold mining area
• BLM creates de facto wilderness without Congressional approval
Legislative and Regulatory Update
• EPA investigated for environmental ties
• Hundreds of miners show up to rally at Oregon State Capitol
• DOI nominee would be bad for miners
US Rare Earths: We Have & We Have Not
America’s premier source of strategic REEs were regulated out of business and 300 employees lost their jobs. For almost fifteen years America has been dependent on the communist Chinese cartel.
Legislative and Regulatory Update
- Zinke leaving office
- Property rights triumph over critical habitat says Supreme Court
- Water of the United States
US Policies Holding Back Arizona
Washington’s decision to bar new uranium mining near the Grand Canyon and other federal policies on energy and resource issues are barriers holding back Arizona and its residents from prosperity, Governor Jan Brewer told a congressional hearing March 16.
Legislative and Regulatory Update
PLF scores another win for property rights
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